Mary “Elizabeth” Clark

Elizabeth Clark, 99, of Fargo, ND, passed away on Saturday, June 8, 2019 at Rosewood on Broadway, Fargo, ND.

Mary Elizabeth “Elizabeth” (Wheelock) Clark was born November 24^th, 1919 in Colo, Iowa.  Elizabeth was the third of seven daughters to John and Gertrude (Christopher) Wheelock.

She attended school in Colo and graduated from Fernald High school in 1937 in Fernald, IA. Elizabeth graduated from nurses training at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines, IA in 1942 and in 1944 earned a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Nursing at the College of St. Teresa in Winona, Minnesota. In 1978, Elizabeth was awarded a Master of Science in Education from North Dakota State University.

Elizabeth’s nursing career spanned 44 years, primarily in education. She taught on the faculties of St. Thomas School of Nursing, Nashville, TN, Charity Hospital School of Nursing, New Orleans, LA, and was a charter faculty member of the North Dakota State University School of Nursing in Fargo, ND. Elizabeth retired from NDSU in 1983.

Informed by her Catholic faith, Elizabeth was an active member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Moorhead, MN where she participated in the RENEW program, was a proclaimer of the Word for liturgies, and many other activities. She also served on the Crookston Diocese Women’s Commission under The Most Reverend Bishop Victor Balke.

Together with Father William (Bill) Merhken and Dr. Kenneth Covey, Elizabeth helped to establish the Dorothy Day House in Moorhead in 1983. She was very active in achieving community support for this successful outreach to the homeless in Moorhead.

Elizabeth provided English language tutoring for immigrants wishing to achieve professional accreditation in their chosen fields. These are a few examples of her continued engagement in the Moorhead community even after retirement.

Elizabeth married Edward Paul Clark on April 22, 1950 in the Cathedral of the Incarnation at Nashville, TN. During their married life, they lived in Clanton, Alabama, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Monona, Wisconsin before settling in Moorhead in 1967.  Upon their respective retirements, Elizabeth and Edward enjoyed many years of travel, exploring the United States and Europe always in the quest for educational opportunities.  She is survived by her husband of 69 years and their five children, David Clark, Fargo, ND, Ann Clark-Whitlock (Robin Whitlock), Whitehall, MI, Martha Meyer (Rick), Fargo, ND, Mary Susan Siegel, Denver, Colorado and Charles Clark (Theresa Kaminski), Mount Horeb, WI. Elizabeth is also survived by one sister, Joneta Carolyn Bell; nine grandchildren, Jenica, Ryan, Patricia, Janet, James, Brian, Sam, Katherine, Maria Elena; three great-grandchildren, Alexis, Allison, and Oscar and one great-great grandchild, Aria and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents and five sisters.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Dorothy Day House of Hospitality, 714 8^th St. S. Moorhead, MN 56560; www.fmddh.org.

A visitation will be held on Wednesday, June 12, 2019 from 5:00-7:00 PM with a prayer service beginning at 7:00 at Wright Funeral Home, Moorhead, MN.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, June 13, 2019 at 1:00 PM at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Moorhead, MN.

Burial will be in St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery, Moorhead, MN.